I hope I can answer your question in the most simple way possible with some basic info that I am hoping most everyone considers acceptable information so we will not have to hear from the "dispute everything" crazy ones who most likely "roll their turds into little balls and eat crayons"So once again here we go, and I hope I don't regret this.........

Interestingly, gold is not as good as copper or silver but used on connectors to pass signals because it will not tarnish with time. Contrary to popular audio myth, you would not want a solid gold cable, a gold plated cable, or a gold impregnated cable as there would be noticeable audio loss.

Silver is the best conductor in the world and copper the second best (by about 7%). The problem with silver is the cost: solid silver sells for $125 a pound while copper sells for less than $1 per pound. For no-loss audio performance you need a pure conductor of either copper or silver. Not everyone can afford solid silver, so copper is the obvious choice. There are many types of copper choices so I will list them as I read them.1. PCOCC (Pure Copper by Ohno Continuous Casting) found in only the very best cables2. LC-OFC (Linear Crystal Oxygen Free Copper) found in a few high-end audio cables3. OFC (Oxygen Free Copper) which you find in most high-end audio cables4. TPC (Tough Pitch Copper) unprocessed copper like you might find in your homeâ€™s wiring

I hope this was of some help for you. I think most of this info should be widely accepted by the normal people here in the forum. I don't want to go any further with this subject because you really don't want to stir up the Scientists group because they will stop eating their crayons in order to continue their life mission of convincing everyone that Everything Is Impossible and Everyone Else Is Full Of $hit!

Sincerely, Rainman

Question: Do you know why turds are tapered on the ends? Answer: So your asshole doesn't slam shut..

What Rainman said. The atomic structure of silver has more free electrons in orbit of the nucleus than copper has. As far as I'm awere, the list above is accurate in in order regarding atomic structure.

BillD wrote:Well, that's acording to Neils Bohr â€” which we know is wrong. Quantum mechanics is the real answer, with more electron in the appropriate quantum states.

Actually Bill that is according to the owner of Audioquest, the research and development dept. at PS Audio inc, Motorola Corporation, and lastly the university that is known as M.I.T. As it has been stated this may all be a matter of opinion, but considering this group that all happen to have the same opinion I tend to think that this group is most likely to have the order of things correct.

Rainman

Question: Do you know why turds are tapered on the ends? Answer: So your asshole doesn't slam shut..

I don't think Bill's arguing the order; just reminding that electrons in orbit (like tiny moons) is an old idea that has been supplanted with quantum theory......Electrons are in quantum states, not orbits.....

Well, the rest of the materials have come in to finish these "monsters" (no pun intended)

I have decided to skip the heatshrink that everyone else uses, and hand wrap every end of all the cables.I think it looks WAY better, and adds a little something to the idea/look of the finished product.It will probably quadruple the amount of time it would take to use heatshrink, but I think the finished look is more than worth the time.

Just my opinion here James, go with the heat shrink. It just looks more professional, plus I would imagine with the twisting, yanking and pulling that happens with SC's there's less of a possibility of compromising the cable over the long haul.

In search of accurate reproduction of music. Real sound is my reference and while perfection may not be attainable? If I chase it, I might just catch excellence.

The best way to enjoy digital music reproduction is to never listen to a good analogue reproduction.

Robert R. - "Did you see my North Korea analogy? I should have named it Carversite.kim"